The original (and maybe only) blog that focuses on the restaurants and foods of the Lake Norman Area. I discreetly visit area restaurants and post my own unbiased reviews. I hope you enjoy. Bon Appetit!

Monday, August 17, 2009

Foodie Travels: Ollie's Bakery (Winston-Salem)

This weekend my wife and I took a little trip to Winston-Salem. It was our first time in the area, so we made sure to check out the area's attractions -- and local cuisines. Hey, what else did you expect? That I'd visit Taco Bell?? (Ok, I'll probably eat there tomorrow...)

For breakfast on Sunday Morning we walked out the door of our hotel (which offered milk and cookies every evening -- YUM!), and in less than 5 minutes we were at the door of Ollie's Bakery. A local bakery that has been around about 10 years.

Ollie's Bakery is a charming facility. About 90% of the floorspace is used for baking the pastries and assorted foods. There are only a few tables packed together. The interior looks like a bakery from another time. No TV. No WiFi. Aside from light bulbs, modern ovens, and an electronic register, this place could easily have been from another time.

Once I entered Ollie's I was overwhelmed with the smell of freshly baked goods. And I've gotta be honest -- my mouth is watering as I type this. Just the thought of this place makes me hungry. I was torn over what I wanted to order. Should I get the Chocolate Eclair? Maybe the Cherry Danish. How about the scones?

Sooo many choices... and my stomach certainly couldn't handle ALL of them.... well maybe....

I settled on the Orange Scented Bittersweet Chocolate Brioche. My wife chose the Apple Cinnamon Cake. And we each had an iced vanilla latte.

Where to begin? The Brioche was amazing. The pastry was light and buttery, while the interior was chock-full of chocolate. Simply put, it was heavenly. I ate every single bite, and wanted to have another. But it was sooo big, I could only eat one.

My wife's cake was amazing. It was moist and tasted like a combination of a cinnamon roll and apple cake. Utterly delicious.

To top it off, our coffees were great. I'm being completely honest when I say that it was the best vanilla latte that either of us have had.... EVER. It was poured so that the coffee and milk were not mixed, and it was topped with milk foam. There was the perfect amount of vanilla syrup, and the espresso was remarkably smooth. It was simply amazing.

In addition, we really enjoyed our time there. The young woman who took our orders and made the coffee was very friendly and attentive. Also, Ollie's Bakery is now owned by Harry. Harry is a great guy, and is closing up the bakery until mid-September, to go visit his children and their families.

I hardly ever give a 5/5 as a score. And I have never given a 15/15. But I absolutely have to give this place a perfect score. To do otherwise would be an insult to an amazing breakfast, served by great people, in a building that looks like it was meant to be a bakery.

Score:Atmosphere: 5/5Food: 5/5Service: 5/5Total: 15/15

Price: $ (1 pastry and coffee was under $9)Kid Friendly: Yes and no. While there was one child there (about 4yrs), this is a small seating area. Strollers may be hard to maneuver. And I didn't notice any high chairs.

Conclusion: Ollie's Bakery is a special place. Once you go there, it will be in your thoughts for a while. I'm already trying to convince my wife that we need to do a pastry run every couple of months.

Foodie Friends

About Me

I visit restaurants in the Lake Norman area and anonymously post a review of the most recent visit. To read all my reviews, restaurant information, and to use the interactive map go to http://www.lakenormanfoodie.com